1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable breathing apparatus, and more particularly, to a portable cradle for carrying a positive airway pressure (PAP) device, also known as a flow generator.
2. Description of Related Art
Sleep-disorders are fairly common. Millions of people suffer from some form of sleep disorder, including insomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea. The most common sleep apnea form occurs when an obstruction blocks or partially blocks the upper airway of a person's respiratory system. Such an obstruction may cause a person to stop breathing temporarily, which often causes snoring.
Treatment for sleep apnea can take many forms, including the use of a breathing apparatus. A typical breathing apparatus includes a flow generator, or blower, also known as a positive airway pressure (PAP) device that generates airflow, and a mask through which the air flows to a person's nose and/or mouth. Different types of systems are used to treat specific disorders. For example, a first type of PAP device provides continuous positive airway pressure (“CPAP”) to ensure the person's airway stays open while the person is sleeping. A second type of PAP device is an auto titration device that adjusts the positive air pressure as a person's needs change during the sleep cycle. A third type of PAP device, typically referred to as a bi-level device, provides continuous pressure at two distinct levels of pressure. A higher pressure is delivered when the person inhales and a lower pressure is delivered when the person exhales. The bi-level device is used for a broader range of respiratory treatments, not just sleep apneas.
Although most PAP devices, regardless of type, are fairly compact and can be moved by the user from location to location, they are not truly portable because they are typically required to be connected to an electrical outlet. Also, most PAP devices require two hands to carry them, which make them unsuitable to be easily carried around.
It is common for patients requiring IVs in hospitals to use a portable stand so that intravenous fluids can still be administered while the patient exercises or moves from place to place within the hospital. However, when a person is in a hospital and requires treatment with a breathing apparatus that includes a PAP device, the lack of system portability prevents the patient from being moved around the hospital by hospital personnel. Therefore, it would be advantageous for the patient that is being treated with a breathing apparatus to be able to use some type of truly portable breathing apparatus so that the patient is not forced to be confined to one room.
Such a portable system would optionally include battery power so that an electrical cord is not needed. This adds weight to the system and can make the PAP device more difficult to carry. Therefore, there is a need for a device that allows the PAP device to be easily carried and also allows a battery to be carried along with the PAP device, as well as any additional accessories that may be needed for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Another drawback in the art relates to storage of a range of nasal CPAP devices. The healthcare systems in many countries, particularly the U.S., require patients to attend a sleep lab for sleep disorder diagnosis to obtain a prescription and consequently receive a nasal CPAP device. Commonly, patients who have been prescribed a nasal CPAP device take the prescription to a local home medical equipment (HME) company who supplies them with the appropriate device. The HME company will consequently be reimbursed by a healthcare organization according to various schedules. With the increasing number of different mechanical ventilator devices, the sleep labs have to store a large range of devices. In sleep labs, any spare space is allocated for additional sleep assessment rooms. Therefore, the storage of a range of devices for testing purposes can take up a significant amount of space.
Also, some sleep labs are now providing a complete service in which they perform the sleep assessment and then immediately supply the patients with the appropriate nasal CPAP device. Consequently, with this complete service, there is the added problem of storage space to store a range of nasal CPAP devices.